Sometimes as RVers we aren’t sure of what gear to carry. After all, there’s only so much space in the rig—being piled from floor to ceiling isn’t conducive to moving about freely. But there’s one thing you may want to carry more than one of: a water hose.
Keeping a long water hose in the rig is always a given, particularly if you frequent RV parks with hookups. But a short, coupled water hose, just a few feet long, can make life a whole lot easier when on the road.
We’re accustomed to lots of boondocking, meaning we’re away from hookups for days, even weeks at a time. Pulling into an RV service station to dump tanks and take on water is something we just work into our trips. In national parks it’s not uncommon to find those tall, tower-like water stations, where a hose hangs above the ground supported by a spring structure that keeps the hose off the ground yet easily accessible for use. Not so on one of our park stops.
Here were the towers, but no hoses.
Happily the rangers had left a rope tied to the towers so you could pull down the “business end” of the tower. That was fine for rinsing our black water hose, but when it came time to fill up with drinking water, there was no way to get the water into the tank. We’d left our “short” six-foot watering hose back at base and found ourselves stuck dragging out the long hose and hooking it up, then after the fill, blowing the water out of 25 feet of line and wrapping it all up.
There are times, too, when even if the fill station provides a convenient hose, you may be better off using your own. Some folks, for some perverse reason, insist on using an available fresh water hose for cleaning their sewer hose. If in doubt, disconnect the available hose, maybe even clean the tap threads with sanitizer, and use your own. A tank full of bad bacteria will make for a memorable RV trip, and using your own “known clean” hose can pay dividends.
##RVDT1975
Yuck. I don’t think I have ever seen potable water close to the dump area.
In my 5th wheel, I wrap an extra hose round my propane tanks. It is easily accessible when I need it, totally out of the way when I don’t and doesn’t take up needed space I can use for other things.
We have a 35′ fresh water hose and no second, but have never needed an extension. However, we also carry one of those “as seen on Tv” 25′ expandable hoses with a shut-off for washing out the sewer hose and flushing the black tank. It works great for those tasks and is “self-shriveling” when unhooked, so doesn’t need to be drained. And we store it in our RV wash bucket to keep the interior of the MH bay dry–fits perfectly, so no worries about cross-contamination..
I have found that carrying 2 – 25 foot water hoses has worked for all occasions in 8 years of camping. Usually one will do. We also rely on a pressure maintenance valve at the spigot to protect the hoses from high pressure water systems and a Y valve to afford additional access to the water outside the camper.
Also carry a “water thief” for those spring towers with ground off threads to prevent you from hooking to them for water. And on your water thief you want a couple of hand twist hose clamps because the water thieves have a habit of expanding and blowing off the hose.
Thanks for the tip. I’ve been watching tons of Youtube videos to prepare for our future with an RV and this is the first I have heard of a water thief.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-22484-Water-Bandit-Fitting/dp/B01IBUP2RQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_mod_primary_new?crid=382KLRANRMIMH&keywords=water+thief+faucet+adapter&qid=1666380941&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjMyIiwicXNhIjoiMC45NSIsInFzcCI6IjAuODcifQ%3D%3D&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=water+thie%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-3#
Here is one. We have used these things for years. But, you DO have to use hose clamps
or it will just blow off. Especially if the water pressure is high.
Carry 2. You never know.